Japor Snippet
by Candace Marie
Summary: This is the story of Leia and Anakin Skywalker, this is the story of Leia and Darth Vader, or Father and Daughter, of Rebel and Imperial. This is the story of hurt and love and the hope that all things will make the Galaxy soar.
1. Good Luck

A/N If I say I own Star Wars will my bank account grow? No? Well I guess I don't own it. Sorry about the last chapter. The last chapter was just previews of what's to come. Let me know which ones you want to see!! Please Review you know I don't get paid for this!!

Good Luck

"Mother, are you very sick?" ten-year-old Leia asked peeking into her mother's bed chamber.

"Come on in, my darling," the older woman called to her child. Leia creeped into the room.

"Have they not sent a doctor?" the child asked, her lips pursed as if to call the doctor herself.

"A doctor cannot help me now," the woman answered reaching out for her child's hand.

"Why not?" Leia asked holding onto her mother's hand as if just by holding on she could push death away.

"I'm dying, Leia," the older woman stated searching her child's chocolate eyes, eyes so much like her own and yet so different. She had the look of someone else, someone that right now the Queen did not wish to think about. Leia had been hers from the day she was born.

"Do you have to die?" the child questioned.

"Yes, Leia, it's time. I want you to know that I don't want to leave you, that I will always be with you through the will of the Force." The child looked around fearful.

"You mustn't speak of such things, Mother. The Force, indeed. The Force doesn't exist. It was just a bunch of smoke and mirror effects."

"Leia, you feel it don't you deep in your bones, I know you do."

"No, Mother. You can't talk like that. There are spies everywhere."

"What more can they do to me?"

"What do you mean, Mother."

"Nothing, dear child. I need your promise. I want you to always listen to your instincts. You are a good girl. A wonderful child. You have always been a blessing. You are stronger than you can ever know," the woman smiled the serene smile of one who knew what was waiting for her on the other side. The child's eyes filled with tears.

"I don't know how to be strong without you, Mother. Daddy won't know what to do without you. And I, I don't know anything. I need you, Mother. Please!" she pleaded as the tears that had filled her eyes spilled forth. The Queen reached up and wiped away her tears and she pulled something from her pocket.

"Wear this, and I will always be with you. It will bring you good luck. Now smile for me baby." Despite her tears, Leia smiled. She stared down at the old carving as her mother placed it around her neck.

"I'll never take it off. Never," she vowed.

"Then we will always be together," her mother promised her. "Now, if it's not too much trouble will you go and get your father."

"Of course. And mother, what's this called."

"Your father once called it a japor snippet." Leia mouthed the words as she ran down the halls of the Alderaan Palace in search of her father. He came at once and Leia crouched real low, trying to hear what they were saying. She couldn't make out everything just tiny snippets.

"She needs to know. When the time is right tell her. Tell her that no matter what I will always love her. She was right."

"How can you say that after all he's done. This is his fault. Sithspit."

"There's so much light in her." Leia stared on confused. Who was this he? How was her mother's death this his fault? What didn't she know? What were they keeping from her? Suddenly, she wasn't certain that she wanted to know. When her father came out of that room he smiled a gentle smile at her and she leaped into his arms. She knew. Her mother was dead.

Five years later, Leia was still trying to get out of her Princess duties. She wanted to be free. This was way too much responsibility for anyone. She wanted to race. She wanted to see the stars. She felt like there was something out there missing. She had a feeling it wasn't just her mother. There was someone else, someone elusive who kept calling to her. Sometimes when she slept she could see other people. She was tired of constantly being surrounded by the three redoubtable dowagers as she constantly called her aunts when complaining to her father. Leia smiled running her fingers through her now short hair. Let them try to style this she thought as she snuck into the garage where the swoop bikes were. "Mind if I give you a hand?" she asked with a lopsided smile.

"Just who do you think you are?" a gruff voice replied.

"Just a handmaiden? Who did you think I was Queen of Alderaan?" she scoffed. She peered at the greasy engine and smiled. "Come on, you look like you could use some help."

"Sure kid, help yourself."

"Thank you," she stated primly as a smile split her grin in two. She liked this. At least she didn't have anyone standing over her.

"So kid, what's your name?" he asked distracting her from boosting the speed to the swoop bike.

"Lelila," she replied, without missing a beat.

"Is there a last name that goes with that?"

"What do you think I'm a nerfherfer?" Leia stated with an easy smiled. "It's Antilles."

"Name's Han Solo," he replied and something inside of her tensed when he smiled at her, as if pronouncing his name was as proficient as naming a whole galaxy after himself. She smiled and stuck a greasy hand, "Can you hand me the vibroblade there?" she asked her voice going deep and husky all at once. He tossed it behind her head and bent to pick it up grabbing her waist at the same time. She tossed her head back and laughed before the laughter died on her lips and her breathing became a little shallow. She had started to tell him how clumsy he was but the words died on her lips as their eyes met.

"So how did a street urchin get out here all by herself? Any brothers I should know about?" Leia frowned. She wanted to say no, but why did that taste a lie. Instead she answered a question with a question. Right now she could be anyone she wanted. Anyone except Princess Leia Organa. She was Lelia Antilles, mechanic.

"Any sisters I should know about?"

"Nope, I'm an orphan," he kissed her cheek. "And a scoundrel. If you don't know by now."

"Oh, I know," she stated and gave a little laugh as she pushed at his chest, not really wanting to push him away. Just then Sabe called her name.

"Lelia, your father is going to kill me if you don't come back right now." Han's arms had immediately dropped from her waste and reluctantly she say back up, glared once at Sabe and stalked back toward the palace. "Really, Lelia, this is no way for a princess to act. And you cut your hair, why for Force sake's would you cut your hair? You've always had such pretty hair. If your mother was alive..." and on and on it went. Leia met her father's eyes and saw that he had burst out laughing.

"Sabe, you may go."

"Lelia, what have you done to your hair?"

"I cut it," she stated the obvious.

"Why for Force sake would you do that?"

"Because I'm tired of being everyone's dress up doll. When can I just be me, Dad?"

Bail Organa sighed, "You know you are going to have to wear a wig until it grows back."

"But it's summer, it's so much cooler without it. Dad, please."

"No, Leia. You must learn your place. You are a princess."

"What if I don't want to be a Princess? What if there's more out there just waiting for me to experience it?"

"And what if Emperor Palpatine gets his hands on my little girl? No, I will not risk it. Perhaps it's time I told you the truth."

"What truth?"

"Your mother and I, we are not your real parents."

"Then who is?"

" Your mother was a great woman. She was a dear friend of mine. She was a fellow senator who had gotten herself into some trouble with a traitor. One of the Jedi. Do you see why I worry? They say that those abilities can be passed down. If the Emperor were to discover."

"I'll be careful, Dad, I promise. What's the worse that can happen on Alderaan?" she asked innocently enough. "I love you," she stated as she threw her arms around him. "Is that all?"

"What else do you want?"

"The japor snippet?"

"It belonged to your true mother. Queen Breha loved you as much as your own mother could. Your mother was to be buried with it."

"She's dead?" she asked, in her secret put away heart the moment she had heard of another mother she had wanted to find her.

"Yes, but Breha had always thought that you should have it."

"And my father? The Jedi?"

"There were so many of them killed in the Jedi purge. Jedi weren't allowed to marry, my sweet. He must have been one of them. I believe at one time he must have been a great man. It's nothing short of tragic," he stated looking at her with very sad eyes. "Your lightning fast reflexes come from him."

"Who do I look like?" Leia asked curious as a junebug.

"Your mother. She was kind, she was smart. She was beautiful."

"Which one?"

"Both of them."

"You know the person I am and the person you want me to be are so different. I just want to be myself. I don't want to be a princess."

"You can be both, my beloved daughter. You can be both. Besides being a princess isn't something you are born to do, it's something you learn."

Princess Leia Organa was now nineteen. She had been in the Imperial Senate for a full year. She finally felt as if she could be herself when she was out there fighting for the good of the Galaxy, like what she said really mattered. She looked up and saw Darth Vader chatting with her father. She stared at him from afar. Why he was nothing more than a droid! Was there a real human in there? What had happened to him? He looked in her direction. Some said he was a sorcerer. Could he read her thoughts? Hate and fury swirled in her replacing the confusion and pity. He had murdered the Jedi. He had stolen not only her mother from her but her father as well. He tapped her on the shoulder.

"Yes, I can," the deep voice replied.

"You can?"

"Read your thoughts, Senator."

"Oh," she lowered her voice. Any tips on how to shield them?" She saw him tilt his head and wondered what was going on under that helmet.

"Think of something else. Completely off subject. I'm sorry for your loss. You aren't afraid of me."

"No, I mean, yes I am."

"Still, you do not show it," she closed her eyes and felt him there inside her mind.

"You are very brave. The Emperor comes," he replied and bowed. "What is thy bidding my master?"

"Stand up, Vader. Introduce me to the girl."

"Of course, my master. This is Princess Leia Organa, Senator of Alderaan. Princess Leia, as you very well know this is Our Emperor Palpatine." The gentle prodding she had felt before was nothing next to the painful push that forced her to step back as she bit her lip. Finally it stopped and he smiled.

"It's good to have you with us, dear girl."

"Your highness," she stated with a slight bow. She could almost feel her skin crawl under his intent gaze.

Leia Organa had recently celebrated her twenty second birthday. She, along with her father, were part of the Rebel Alliance against the Empire. The Empire was wrong, and it needed to fall. It heeded the whims of one man, and that man had manipulated his way into power. She had a contact on the death star. A man she had once dated named Kyle Katarn. He had been a musician and a dreamer. They hadn't been compatabile. But he worked on the Death Star and would feed her the plans if she could get close enough. She looked around her room, feeling an overwhelming feeling of loss. She picked up the japor snippet and tucked in inside her dress. 'This is for good luck,' she had been told. She couldn't bare to part with it. She grabbed her favorite flower and a few holo's along with a change of clothes and went to say goodbye to her father.

"And, Dad, I love you. I'll be home before you know it."

For some reason Viceroy Bail Organa felt the urge to call out an old Jedi greeting. "Leia, may the Force be with you."

"I love you, Dad. Take care of yourself. Be safe. And cover for me," she stated with a lopsided smile. Days later she had the plans, and knowing they were caught in the tractor beam. She quickly and quietly made her way to the controls launching all the escape pods but one. She then went to program Artoo with his secret mission, knowing she would be caught. "Please, come through for me, Obi-Wan," she whispered clutching the japor snippet in her hand as she picked up the nearest blaster and began shooting at the stormtroopers who had boarded her starship.


	2. Paternity

Paternity

Princess Leia Amidala Organa raised her chin and looked straight into the eyes of the dark mask in front of her. "Lord Vader, only you could be so bold. The Imperial Senate will not stand for this."

Darth Vader stared at the princess in front of him. He blinked away a memory of a time that had never existed. Anakin Skywalker didn't exist, he had died a long time ago. He had died a poetic death with his wife. "You weren't on any mercy mission this time, Senator."

"I was on a diplomatic mission for Alderaan," Leia repeated staring up at him in defiance. "When the Imperial Senate here's of this..." she let her voice trail off leaving him to draw his own conclusion.

"Soon, milady, the Imperial Senate will be disbanded."

"The Emperor."

"Who do you think ordered that? Me? I care little for politics. If you are so displeased then take that up with him, if you can."

"But the government?"

"Will be run be the Moff's. They will keep their systems in line."

"You mean those appointed by the Emperor."

"You are correct, your highness." Darth Vader motioned for two stormtroopers to have her follow him. He locked the door behind them and they sat facing each other. Finally she spoke.

"All those years ago, even after all they said about you. I thought you were different from the Emperor," she stated her voice quivering at the end slightly.

"I am Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith," he got up and turned from her staring into a void that she couldn't see. "It is my destiny to uphold the Emperor's rule."

"How can that be anyone's destiny. Well, I tell you what, my destiny lies upon a different path."

"Tell me about the Rebel Alliance."

"I am a member of the Imperial Senate. I am a member of the house of Alderaan."

"You are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor. Perhaps, other methods of questioning are in order." Darth Vader used the Force to bring the mind probe forward. "Do you know what this is?" She shook her head and he continued. "This is a mind probe, I developed it myself."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" she quipped.

"It harness the Force into an instrument of torture, of pain. Now you can either tell me or be subjected to this," she stared with wide eyes at the creepy machine in front of her. The needle poked out spinning and without thinking she grabbed for the japor snippet and began twisting it. Suddenly, it cut off dropped to the floor and she was jerked up off of her feet, the japor snippet in his hand. "Where did you get this?"

"Put me down, and I'll consider telling you," she snapped. She was dropped to her feet so suddenly that she landed on her rump. "Oof."

Darth Vader stared at her and knelt next to her offering her his hand. She shook her head. "No. I can get up myself."

"It's a kind gesture. I suggest you take it. I hardly ever make them anymore."

When put that way, the princess grabbed his hand and was hauled to her feet. He opened the door and made a motion two some of the stormtroopers and five of them came in with chairs before leaving. "What is this some new method of torture?"

"Sit down," he barked at her. She sat. Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, sat down in front of the princess. "Now where did you get that?"

"The Japor Snippet?" she asked.

"Yes. To my understanding you aren't from Tattooine."

"No, I'm not," she tossed her head raising it up so that she felt she were meeting his eyes. "Not that it's any of your business but my mother gave it to me." She was sure in that moment his vocabulator spoke softer than it had ever spoken. She preened her ears and could just make out his words.

"Padme," then his voice picked up. "Do you know the story behind this?" she shook her head. "May I hold it?" she nodded and took it off handing it to him. "See these symbols?" he asked her. She peered across the table at him. "This one means good luck, this one is for good health, and this one is for prosperity. This one here is for general protection."

"How do you know that?" she asked.

"Well, because I made it," he turned it over and traced the A.S. On the back of it. She stared too.

"What does A.S. Stand for?" she asked.

"It's a life that doesn't exist anymore." She stared at him intently, taking in the deep mechanical breathing.

"You weren't always like that?" she knew that Imperials had died for saying less that that but at that didn't matter at the moment. Her handed it back to her and went to stare out into space.

"It was a different life, Princess Leia. It doesn't matter anymore. What does matter is that your father had made an enemy of Grand Moff Tarkin. He had convinced the Emperor to see through your execution. You are part of the Rebellion."

"I told you, I am a member of the Imperial Senate," she repeated.

"That gives my master grounds to have you executed. To stop the Rebel Alliance." She laughed and he froze. It was _her _laugh.

"Do you really believe that?"

"No, I don't. I've seen enough what things of that nature can generate," he spoke softly looking at her. She was Padme's daughter. She was his daughter. He would need proof and for some reason he didn't want to alarm her. "I fought in the Clone Wars."

"With General Kenobi?" she asked. He turned back toward her, his cape flying angrily behind her.

"What do you know of Obi-Wan?"

"Just what my father had told me."

"He is a traitor."

"So am I," she spoke down to him.

"You are safe. I will not allow you to be executed."

"Why not?" she asked. He motioned again for a stormtrooper to come in and they took a sample from her. "What's that for?" she asked and he thought back to that nine year old inquisitive boy he had once been.

"To check your force potential. You and I both know you have it. You know by all means you should have been dead or turned over to the Emperor the moment I discovered it."

"Why didn't you?" Darth Vader stared at her. He didn't know. He couldn't have answered that if the Emperor was shocking him to death for the answer. Ever since there meeting those years ago he had thought of her. The results came back and he exited the room with a swoosh not answering her. The results stared at him. She was his daughter. Princess Leia of Alderaan was the daughter of Queen turned Senator Amidala and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. He could feel his face under his mask tug in an upward motion. It actually was quite painful. What was his face doing? He sued the Force to feel the contours of his face, was he actually smiling? He remembered when Padme had told him she was pregnant. He had known it would be a girl. There was no way he could let anything happen to her. He would kill Moff Tarkin first. Normally, he would kill the stormtroopers but he couldn't seem to summon the right emotions to do that. He went back to see the Princess. "Princess Leia, you can not return to Alderaan. Alderaan will be destroyed in a matter of hours."

"No, you cannot. Alderaan is a peaceful planet."

"Do you think this is my order? I despise those who think this technological terror has more power than the Force."

"Then why go along with it?"

"What good can I do?"

"Alot, you are second in command are you not. You are the mighty Darth Vader. You may not realize just what you can do."

"Regardless, what purpose would my death serve? The point is, you cannot stay here either."

"Where shall I go?"

"You won't be safe upon, Naboo though that is my first inclination. Once it is discovered by the Emperor that I am behind it. I want you to go to Tattooine."

"Tattooine?"

"Yes, there's a couple there named Lars. In Mos Eisley. As soon as you get there arrange transportation to Mos Eisley. Owen Lars. Tell him Skywalker sent you."

"Who is Skywalker?"

"Someone who has been dead a long time," he stated and left after provided her with the access codes to a small starship.


	3. Tattooine

Tattooine

Leia landed her ship safely enough and soon found herself in the dunes wondering around looking for Mos Eisley. Maybe they would know what happened to Artoo and Three-pio. Also, General Obi-Wan was here. She kicked at the sand around her ankles. "I hate sand," she muttered. Just who were these Lars and who was Skywalker. She traced the initials she had never notices until Darth Vader had pointed them out. Perhaps they had something to do with who Darth Vader had been. A.S, A. Skywalker. He had been the Skywalker she was almost positive. So he had been from Tattooine. Which only meant that those Lars knew something about Darth Vader's past. Why was she feeling sorry for a monster? He had never acted like a monster with her. Maybe that wasn't entirely true, before he had noticed the japor snippet, he had been about to torture her. What was so important about that japor snippet?

For hope is stronger than hate,  
And love is stronger than death.

Leia turned around, but didn't see anyone. It had been a female voice, a motherly voice. She looked behind her but didn't see anything. She pulled her hood over her head, after all this was the world of Jabba the Hutt. Just why had Darth Vader sent her here, and why had she listened?

For hope is stronger than hate,  
And love is stronger than death.

There it was, that voice again. She was nearly knocked over by a boy on a speeder. He stopped and stared at her.

"I'm sorry, I was looking for my droids." Leia stood up and brushed the sand from her white dress.

"It's okay," she stated with a small smile. "I'm actually looking for some droids too," she stated before she noticed Three-pio.

"Why, Princess Leia, what are you doing here!"

"Three-pio, where's Artoo?"

"He kept going on about his mission. He's gone to find Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"So we own the same droids. Uncle Owen won't be happy about this."

"I'll make you a deal, you can keep Three-pio if you help me find Artoo, and I need a communicator. I have to let Alderaan know that it's about to be blasted to oblivion."

"You're from Alderaan?"

"That's right. I'm Princess Leia Organa."

"Name's Luke Skywalker," he stated shaking her hand as he smiled at her, a smile full of innocence. "Hop in, and we will locate Artoo."

"Can you drive this thing?"

"Strap yourself in," he stated, fastening the seat-belt as the took off. He passed her the electrobinoclers. She looked in them and pointed.

"There, over there, Luke." Luke breezed over there and came to a screeching halt.

"Artoo," she stated with a smile as she rubbed his dome. "It's okay, I'm here now." Artoo beeped a warning and the sand people attacked Luke knocking him out flat. Leia stood up and took out the blaster she'd been hiding and shot at them, while out of nowhere a man came brandishing a lightsaber. Soon they left.

"Luke will be fine," Leia told the man who had yet to reveal his face.

"You are as fine as shot as your mother."

"You knew my mother?"

"I did," he knelt by Luke who smiled up at him.

"Ben Kenobi. These droids are looking for you."

"Ben Kenobi? You are Obi-Wan Kenobi. You served with my father in the Clone Wars. I ask your help. This is our most desperate hours."

"Princess Organa, the little one is dehydrated, if you don't mind we should get him indoors before you begin the speech you've got worked up."

"Of course," she hopped into the driver's seat of the speeder and waited for Artoo to hover into it. "I'm not forgetting you." She followed Ben and Luke back to his hovel. Ben put Luke in a sleep trance while he and Leia talked.

"You have some questions for me."

"Yes, but first you must warn my father. Darth Vader, he told me that Alderaan will be destroyed. Please, we have to save as many as we can."

Ben Kenobi sent out a message to warn them and then smiled back at her. "Will that be sufficient?"

"Yes, thank you General Kenobi."

"That is a title I haven't heard in a long time. One that I didn't care much for."

"You may call me Ben as Luke does, or..never mind the title is one for a time long gone. How does the Rebellion fare?"

"Not so good," she activated the plans in Artoo. "See this is the Death Star. I'll have to have this analyzed for a weakness. Darth Vader said there's enough firepower to blow up a planet. He doesn't like it either."

"Let me get this right, you spoke to Darth Vader. He's a monster, Leia," he said softly.

"He knows about this," she fingered the japor snippet. "It belonged to my real mother."

"Yes, it did. I knew her once. She was the Queen of Naboo before the Clone Wars."

"Who was A. S.? Was it a Skywalker? Was it Luke's father?"

"Yes, it was Anakin Skywalker."

"If Luke's father was this Anakin guy, and he gave the japor snippet to my mother. Isn't he my father as well? And that would make Luke.."

"Your brother, your twin brother."

"Does he know about any of this?"

"No, it was safer this way."

"So how does Darth Vader fit into all of this?"

"I trained the man who became Darth Vader."

"I'm so sorry."

"What we need to do is wake Luke, he must come with us. I have to get to the Rebel Base so that we can destroy this Death Star."

"I agree. First, we will need a good pilot. Leave that to me. Stay with Luke. I'll be back," a ghost of a smile appeared on his lips. "Leia, may the Force be with you both."

"May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan."

Leia stared at her brother, looking for the similarities between them. They both shared the same nose, she thought looking at him. Though his hair was a sandy brown while hers was much darker, she thought that the suns of the planet may have bleached it. She suspected that once he were off planet the color would darken. As she watched her twin brother blinked his eyes and stared up at her.

"Wake up sunshine," she teased, looking into his blue eyes. She knew she had seen him before, he was from her dreams when she was a child. As if that realization set off others, this planet had been in her dreams as well. She suspected that General Kenobi's presence had kept him asleep while they talked least she reveal something she didn't want Luke to know. "Remember me, I'm Leia, Leia Organa."

"The princess?"

"Yes, but you can call me Leia." She watched as a soft smile lit up his face. It was a smile filled with comfort, of quiet strength, of sunlight.

"What was going on with the droids?"

"They were carrying an important message from me to General Kenobi."

"Old Ben?"

"Yes," she glanced around quickly and nodded. "I am a member of the Rebel Alliance."

"You know of the Rebellion Against the Empire?" his eyes widened and he seemed impressed.

"I don't just know of it Luke, I have led several of the missions. I trust you to keep that private."

"On my father's honor."

"Your father was Anakin Skywalker?"

"Yes, he was a space pilot on some freighter for the old Republic. He was killed in space when his engine malfunctioned. Uncle Owen said my mother had just sent him a message about me and he had overshot something, exciting to be with my mother when he found out about me," Luke shrugged as if it wasn't important.

"And your mother?"

"She died in childbirth. Uncle Owen said after my father died she had lost the will to live and had lived just long enough for me to make my entrance in the world. Then, it was as if she had completed her soul mission in life." Leia frowned that was much different than she had been told. Luke obviously idolized his father, their father she corrected herself. How much of what they had both been told was the truth? How much was a lie to cover up the truth? Had her mother been a Senator? Had her father been a Jedi? Or had her father been the space pilot that Luke believed? She was inclined to believed her own adopted father rather than whomever had spun those stories to Luke but still wasn't there at least a shread of truth?

"Who raised you?"

"Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru?"

"Lars?"

"Well, yea."

"I need to find them. Can you take me to them?"

"Well, yeah. I'm actually in trouble now for staying so long. I was supposed to have the droids in the South Side by noon. Don't you think, Leia, that we should wait for Ben?"

"No, if you won't carry me. I'll drive myself."

"No, you don't know Tattooine like I do. You will get lost."

"Then I guess your coming," she replied grabbing the small bag that carried her things and placing it in the speeder. He sighed before hoping in and taking the controls.

_Previews:_

"_Darth Vader betrayed and murdered your father," Obi-Wan explained to the twins._

"_Anakin Skywalker? That was his name right?" Leia asked._

"_Yes, yes it was. He was a cunning warrior and a good friend."_

"_Then they were good friends, then right? How else would Darth Vader be able to get close enough to Anakin Skywalker? Expecially if he was as good a warrior as you claim. How else would he know of Anakin's only family?" Leia presisted._

"_Is that true, Ben? Were they friends? Did you train my father as well?" Luke asked._

"_Yes, I trained them both."_

"_Obi-Wan, how well did they know each other? Did Darth Vader know Luke's mother as well?" Leia asked, careful not to reveal the fact that they shared the same parents. She wanted to get to know him first. "How did they meet?" Leia noticed Obi-Wan's shifty gaze before he replied._

"_I'm afraid Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker loved the same woman, your mother." _


	4. Blast from the Past

A Blast From The Past

Princess Leia watched as the sun and sand flew by at alarming speed. She laughed as the sand flew into her hair and on her dress. She felt in her bones as if something important was happening, something that she just couldn't put her finger on. When Luke put on the breaks and reached for her hand she gave it to him, squeezing it slightly. She ignored the direction he tried to lead her. Ignored the front door. Instead she head that voice again.

"For hope is stronger than hate,  
And love is stronger than death."

She wondered if Luke could hear it too, and judging from his puzzled expression she thought he did. Quickly, he headed toward the house ignoring it. She wondered, if he, like her, had always felt things that he couldn't understand. "Did you hear that?" she whispered, and turned to look into his shocked blue eyes.

"You can hear it too?" he asked.

"Yes," she whispered turning away and following the feeling, the sound of the voice. She looked down at a small grave in front of her as a vision flashed before her so quickly, it was hard to grasp anything but feelings of sorrow, of hate, or disgust, of not being good enough, or grief so strong that tears stung her eyes. She had a flash of a blond man and a dark haired woman at his side. She had a flash of a dead body but it had come and gone so quickly. She knelt by the grave and lightly traced the letters and read the name. 'Shmi Skywalker Lars.'

Luke came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. "She was my grandmother."

"How did she die?" she asked, the tears filling her eyes and spilling over her pale cheeks.

"It was before I was born. I never knew her," he assured her. "She was taken by the Sand People, the Tuskan Raiders that attacked us they kidnapped her and held her for weeks, torturing her."

"I'm so sorry."

"Like I said, I don't remember her." Even though Leia was sent to the Lars, she didn't feel they were important in her journey instead she headed on foot in the opposite direction feeling the way in her bones she walked, until she ended up at a Tuskan Camp, and she saw a hole cut in one of the tents. She saw old bones and she felt the rage and grief once again. This, this was where she had died. Where Shmi had been tortured. She was retracing her steps. Why was this woman reaching out to her? What was so important that she...she was startled by a hand on her.

"Princess Leia what are you doing here? Where's Luke?"

"Obi-Wan Kenobi, I don't know, something has drawn me here. Do you know what happened to Shmi Skywalker?"

"Yes. Come we must leave this place, it's fueled with the dark side of the force." She followed him back to the Lars' homestead. "Go and get Luke, I'll wait here."

"You won't accompany me?"

"I'm afraid that the Lars' are weary of my presence."

"Of course." She knocked on the door and immidatly Luke let her in.

"Where'd you go?"

"Here and there. Mr. and Mrs. Lars, I am Princess Leia Organa, Senator of Alderaan, of the House of Organa."

"Look, Owen, she looks so much like her," the older woman stated with a smile. "She has the look of her."

"Who?"

"No one. My wife speaks out of turn."

"Do I know you?"

"No. We've never seen you before in our lives," he stated, shooting a warning glance to his wife.

"I was sent here by Darth Vader." The woman gasped and covered her face, excusing herself and quickly leaving the room in tears.

"Mrs. Lars."

"Nevermind my wife. What is it you want, your Highness?"

"I'm not sure. I am part of the Rebel Alliance."

"We want no part of the Rebellion. There is no Rebellion here."

"I think Luke should come with me."

"Why you are no better than that crazy old hermit! Did he put you up to this?"

"Of course not. Alderaan is in trouble I need his help."

"Why Luke?"

"Because Luke is a Skywalker, his father was a legendary pilot, he is exactly what we are looking for."

"No."

"With all due respect, Mr. Lars, Luke is ninteen, he's old enough to make his own decisions."

"I'm going," Luke stated, ending the argument.

"If you go, you will not be welcomed back. You will not bring the war to us. We are simple farmers, Luke." Mrs Lars returned putting her arms around Luke.

"What do you know of me, Mr. Lars?"

"I don't know nothing about anything. I know exactly what I'm supposed to know. That Luke's father was my stepbrother, and that his parents are dead. That's all I want to know." He knew more than he was saying and life as a farmer had turned this man into a grouch, after all the tears from Luke's Aunt Beru were done Aunt Beru put her arms around Leia.

"If you ever need anything, please," Aunt Beru whispered in her ear.

"For Force's sake, Beru."

"I'm truly sorry," Leia whispered as Luke followed her outside.

"I have secured a pilot and a ship."

"Exellent," Leia stated.

"You may need to sell your landspeeder."

"It's not like I'm wanted back here," Luke stated a little grumpily.

"Will you tell us about Luke's father, about Darth Vader?"

"It isn't something that's easy for me to speak of, your Highness."

"Please," she stated taking his hand and looking into his gray eyes.

"You look so much like your mother. Alright. Darth Vader betrayed and murdered your father," Obi-Wan explained to the twins.

"Anakin Skywalker? That was his name right?" Leia asked.

"Yes, yes it was. He was a cunning warrior and a good friend."

"Then they were good friends, then right? How else would Darth Vader be able to get close enough to Anakin Skywalker? Expecially if he was as good a warrior as you claim. How else would he know of Anakin's only family?" Leia presisted.

"Is that true, Ben? Were they friends? Did you train my father as well?" Luke asked.

"Yes, I trained them both."

"Obi-Wan, how well did they know each other? Did Darth Vader know Luke's mother as well?" Leia asked, careful not to reveal the fact that they shared the same parents. She wanted to get to know him first. "How did they meet?" Leia noticed Obi-Wan's shifty gaze before he replied.

"I'm afraid Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker loved the same woman, your mother."

"What was she like?" Leia asked. But then they had reached the hangar bay and she spotted a very familiar face.

"Well if it isn't Leila Antilles."

"You remember me?"

"I never forget a pretty face," he stated with a lopsided grin.

"Actually my name is Leia Amidala Organa, Han Solo."

"Well now, let's get this show on the road."


	5. Executor

Returning to the Executor

Princess Leia gave Han Solo the coordinates from where she had been captured. She was returning to Darth Vader, she was going to save him, save him from the Dark Side, it was like that voice kept saying; 'For Hope was stronger than hate, and love was stronger than death. She watched in silence as Obi-Wan trained Luke in the ways of the Force. She was his sister, his twin sister, and if he could use the Force then so could she. She remembered Darth Vader telling her that he was checking her blood for Force potential which meant ….she was interrupted by Han Solo's voice, "I've been all around the universe and seen a lot of crazy things, but nothing that makes me think that there's one all-powerful force controlling my destiny."

"Luke, may I see your lightsaber?"

"Sure," he called and tossed it to her, she moved with lightning fast reflexes and caught it. She turned it over and looked it over carefully. "General Kenobi, Obi-Wan," she corrected herself before he could, "Is there a way to tell who crafted this?"

"Yes, all lightsabers are unique, Princess Leia."

"Obi-Wan, please just call me Leia."

"Is there a way to tell if the same person made something else?"

"Why do you ask Leia?"

She darted a look and saw that Han and Luke were deep in conversation. "What really happened to my father?"

"Leia, you have to understand those were difficult times."

"Anakin Skywalker became the Emperor's lapdog didn't he?"

"Darth Vader betrayed and murdered Anakin."

"That's not right, it doesn't explain anything. Tell me what happened Obi-Wan."

"It's safer that you not know."

"Safer for whom? You can't face it can you? You can't face the fact that it was Anakin Skywalker who betrayed the Jedi, that he wasn't lost during Order Sixty Six."

"You are right, I tried to save him but instead I lured him further into the darkness. He did love your mother."

"I know."

"You are a natural Jedi, Leia, would you like for me to train you?"

"No, if I fail then it's up to Luke to lead the Rebellion."

"You are taking an enormous risk, Leia. You are your father's daughter. In his prime, he had a way of making the impossible seem merely difficult. He once landed a spacecraft that wasn't even meant for landing. He was a hero, and I trained him and now..."

"I'm going to get him back. No matter what, I'm going to bring him back."

"Is there anything I can say to change your mind?"

"No. He is the single most important person that's fate is entwined with the fate of the galaxy, and if saving him saves the galaxy and gets rid of the Emperor and his Empire then I will do anything I can to save him."

"Leia, may the Force be with you."

"And with you Obi-Wan," Leia saw the Executor in the distance. She turned back to Luke and Han. "I need you to take Artoo to Hoth, to the Rebel Base. Artoo has all the security clearance codes.

"We aren't leaving you, Leia." Leia turned to look at her brother and at the smuggler who stood with his arms folded blocking the door.

"Look, sister, if you are leaving you got to get through me first."

"Why you scruffy-looking nerf-herder!"

"Whose scruffy-looking?"

"You are, now get out of my way!"

"Chewie, a little help over here."

"It's too late anyway, better make yourself comfortable, that tractor beam has spotted us."

"Sithspit!"

"If you had just got out of my way none of this would have happened."

"Are you suicidal, your worship-fulness, that's Darth Vader's flagship."

"I know exactly what that is, coward!"

"Look lady, I'm no coward, but I'm not suicidal."

"Look, Han, I know what I'm doing, I'm saving the Rebellion, I need you to get to the Rebellion, inside my Artoo unit is the plans for the Death Star, they will need to destroy it, before it's used to destroy the galaxy. These are very dire circumstances, please try to understand!" And since they were standing so close he closed his hand around her chin and brought his lips up to meet his. She kissed him back for an instant, letting all those pent up emotions out calming her for a moment, before she pulled back and slapped him, full across the face. "I suggest you hide, stormtroopers will be searching the ship any moment."

"Leia, just a moment, I'm coming with you. Maybe a retired Jedi can be of some assistance."

"Of course, Obi-Wan," she stated with a smile. As soon as the ship touched ground she opened the door and called out as if she had been raised among the stormtroopers, "Take me to Darth Vader, I have a captured Jedi," she smiled as a stormtroopers nodded and motioned for her to follow him. Soon she was led into a briefing room where Grand Moff Tarkin sat discussing something with Darth Vader, he smiled as she entered flanked by two stormtroopers. Moff Tarkin got up and kissed her hand, she itched to slap him.

"Princess Leia, so good of you to join us. You don't know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life."

"The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star system will slip through your grasp."

"Have you come to me to reveal the location for the Rebel Base?" Leia heard the deep vocabulator of Vader's answer.

"Even better, I have brought you a retired Jedi, one you know well, High Ranking Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"There will be no deal, " Tarkin replied.

"Tarkin, while the Emperor may give you domination upon the Death Star, the Executor is my flagship. You are dismissed."

"Of course, my friend."

"Princess Leia, I thought I sent you to Tatooine."

"You did, I discovered Obi-Wan Kenobi upon my arrival."

"Obi-Wan Kenobi, you settled upon Tatooine, why?"

"Have you searched the Galaxy for me, old friend?"

"We have business to finish, old man, have the girl step outside."

"No, I'm not going anywhere. I'm your daughter, aren't I?" she ran to him and looked into those creepy red eyes without fear. "I knew you were different. You aren't the same as the Emperor." He turned to look at her and hesitated, just for a moment.

"My daughter...You are the offspring of Anakin Skywalker."

"You two, both of you, why do you keep pretending that you aren't Anakin Skywalker, that he's not alive, when you are standing in front of me."

"Anakin Skywalker died on Mustafar," Darth Vader replied.

"If I stay with you, if I become your apprentice, if I let you train me..."

"Train you? Yes, you will join me? Rule the Galaxy as father and daughter?"

"Yes, if you allow Obi-Wan to leave, and allow my friends to return home."

"It shall be done. I am a man of my word."

"More machine than man," Obi-Wan stated softly.

"And whose fault is that?" He motioned for stormtroopers to take Obi-Wan to a cell, "He cannot remain freed, but he shall be taken care of, I will not harm him, Leia."

"Thank you."

"You will remain on the Executor."

"How will you explain things to the Emperor?"

"I will not. He has several apprentices of his own. We will begin your training tomorrow."

"I am one of the leaders of the Rebellion."

"I know."

"And you are Anakin Skywalker."

"That name no longer has any meaning to me."

"Then why claim his daughter, you are the same man, to debate the facts are pointless."

"You sound very much like your mother."

"For hope is stronger than hate, and love is stronger than death."

"Where did you hear that?" he asked her, the room began to shake.

"I can hear it in the wind."

"Your mother once said that to me."

"When?"

"I do not wish to discuss this with you."

"It was when your mother died, wasn't it?" Vader walked in front of her leading her to his room. He sat down stretching out mechanical legs as she took a seat next to him.

"Yes. It was the first time I felt the dark side touch me, I was filled with such hate over my mother's death. I slaughtered everyone who had anything to do with it, the Tuskan Raiders were monstrous creatures, and I killed them, even the women and the children, and I came back to your mother and I cried. I wasn't supposed to hate. Jedi spend so much time suppressing their emotions that they don't know how to feel. Probably why I never made a good Jedi" The image of a young man with twinkling blue eyes and short cropped blonde hair except for a single braid was projected at her.

"That was you?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"I was nineteen at the time. Your mother was twenty-four."

"What happened to her?"

"She died."

"When? Was that when Anakin Skywalker died?"

"Yes."

"Am I free to visit with Obi-Wan, to move around the ship on my own?"

"You may visit with him as you wish, but there are situations I do not wish to find you in, my men get lonely and I cannot allow you around the ship on your own, for your own protection."

"What happened to you?"

"You want to see what I look like?"

"Yes, Father."

"Only the Emperor and my doctors have ever seen me."

"Please."

He nodded and he sat down in his hibernation chamber waving his hand to secure the room so that no air would get in. He sat in place and looked upon her face, as the mask came off his head.

She looked at the man who was her father, his skin was the whitest she had ever seen, and there was a huge scar over one side of his forehead, and his eyes, they were the purest blue she had ever seen save for one person, those were eyes that spoke volumes to her, they were the eyes of a man who had once loved and lost, they held infinite sadness and dispair, eyes that were afraid to hope, but those were not the eyes of evil.

"Your eyes are the same color as your lightsaber."

"My lightsaber?" He reached for his current lightsaber.

"Obi-Wan had it."

"I'll have Captain Piett show you to your quarters."

"Of course, Father. May the Force be with you."


	6. Breakfast with DV

Breakfast with Darth Vader

Leia was awoken to a gentle tugging on her mind. She turned over, trying to ignore it. But it persisted. 'Leia, you will join me for breakfast.' She sat up and rubbed her eyes and put on a white jumpsuit and vest, white boots, and a white cape, then she styled her hair in a familiar Nabooan style and went to meet the dark lord, her father. She believed in the Rebellion, but she knew to defeat the Empire you must first defeat the Emperor, and to do that she would need Darth Vader's help, besides the easiest way to do that was from within. She watched as her father, Darth Vader sat down starring into space and a stormtrooper came up and held out her seat. Food was placed in front of her. The rarest of foods she had ever seen. "Good day, Father," she said to him as she sat down.

"Good day, Princess. Eat something you will need it," he muttered before looking down at his datapad, and signing off on the things the Emperor wanted him to do. He hated politics. Rebel base. That he could do.

Leia picked at her food, in silence. Finally, she couldn't take the silence anymore. "I stole the plans to the Death Star."

"I know. We are in the process of obtaining them. It's expected."

"They will soon be in the Rebel's hand," she added. "We are going to destroy the Death Star."

"Good."

"Good? I don't understand, I thought you supported the Emperor's pet project."

"I dislike that technological terror as much as the pitiful Rebellion, however, the Emperor would be most displeased if I did not look over it. Unless there is a Jedi in your group I seriously doubt that the weakness can be exploited."

"What weakness?"

He picked up his datapad and simplified the drawing. "In the center there's a reactor, if it were to be blown up by say a one man fighter the whole thing would blow up from the inside out. But, only a Jedi could pull that off. As Obi-Wan is here with me, and he never did like flying the only Jedi out there is Yoda and I seriously doubt he's going to come out of hiding after all these years."

"There's Luke."

Darth Vader searched his memory, but he couldn't remember a Luke ever existing as a Jedi. "Luke?"

"Skywalker, my brother, my twin actually." Darth Vader just nodded.

"Where is he?"

"With the Rebellion."

"Captain Rex?" he called on the comm. "You will escort Lady Vader to the training room and begin her training, make sure she is proficient with a blaster."

"But-I thought you were going to train me."

"I will." As soon as Rex appeared, he stalked out.

"Come along, Lady Vader."

"Leia."

Darth Vader was furious. How dare he! He hadn't felt rage like this in years. He stalked into Obi-Wan's cell and jerked him off his seat to hold him by his tunic as he pushed him against the wall.

"How dare you!"

Obi-Wan was startled, but it was nothing that he wasn't expected. He looked calmly into the mask of his former apprentice. "Temper, Anakin."

"Don't start with your lectures, old man! You kept them from me! This is all your fault!" he dropped Obi-Wan to the floor. Obi-Wan got up slowly, and dusted off his robes, looking up at him with pity.

"No, Anakin, this is not my fault, nor is it Master Yoda's." Darth Vader used the force and picked him up choking the serene look off Obi-Wan's face before he stopped he had promised Leia.

"Why did you do it! You were my friend! I...looked up to you," he said, his temper easing up. Obi-Wan got up for the second time and looked at him.

"I only did what I thought was right, besides I believed you had died. What would you have me do? Show up on Imperial Center with two babies in my arms, my face as recognizable as yours. The Once Great Jedi Master killed on the steps of Imperial Center."

"You should have found me."

"You would have killed me on sight. Those children are innocent, despite what you had done Anakin."

"Wh-what I did? I loved Padme. I trusted you, I respected Palpatine. What else was I to do?"

"There is always a choice, my old friend. You could have come to me, confided in me."

"I-I wanted to tell you. So many times. But I didn't want to put you in that position." Darth Vader felt different, the anger that had been his constant companion was strangely missing, and he was just talking to his old master. Obi-Wan sat down, and looked up at him.

"I would have done anything for you if you had only asked. I wasn't the perfect Jedi either Anakin. As a Jedi we are never supposed to put any one Jedi above the mission. If killing you would save a hundred lives, we are supposed to do it. Yet, I could not. I too, had an attachment, to you. If you had asked anything of me, I would have done it."

"I asked you to join me," Vader said, sitting down.

"I could not. Even during out battle, I loved you."

"We were married, Obi-Wan, Padme and I married while I was still a padawan." Vader laid his head in his old master's lap as he began to tell the tale. "I'd always love her. I was going to resign from the Order when I found out she was pregnant, but that very night I had another nightmare."

"Like-"

"The ones I used to have about my mother. And Padme died in childbirth." Obi-Wan patted the shoulder of his bulking former padawan. "Palpatine promised we would be able to save her, that was what I wanted to do. Then everything got so mixed up. I keep thinking about it over and over. All I wanted was the power to save her, she offered me the chance to go away with her, but I don't even remember hearing her until later...too late. That was all I ever wanted, to go away and be with her, on Naboo, where we could raise our family together, no more hiding, no more secrets. Just us. Just our love."

"Anakin, leave the dark side behind." Darth Vader sat up. "There is hope."

"It's too late for me."

"No Anakin, Master Yoda thought it was power. But if you turned for love."

"It doesn't matter."

"No, Anakin, you are wrong. It makes all the difference. Join me. Join the Rebellion. I can bring you to Luke."

"He will not escape me."

"But you cannot want him as a Sith, you have to love him as a father."


End file.
